Start your engines! The cars are gliding up and down the track to prepare to race as they line up in order. The distinctive smell of racing fuel in the air. The track lights have a hazy glow as the sunsets. Popcorn and pop in your hands. Ready for some close races and some major wrecks. There is nothing quite like a night of racing in the summertime! Although the race tracks in Minnesota may have slimmed over time, the bleachers remain full regardless of the weather conditions. Make it to one or make it to all, here are the race tracks in Minnesota that you need to visit.

1. Granite City Speedway in Sauk Rapids, MN

Right on Golden Spike Road near the Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, the Granite City Speedway is revamped. Once the Golden Spike Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval that hosts dirt track auto racing from early May through September. The track hosts WISSOTA sanctioned Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds, Street Stocks, Mod Fours plus Hobby Stocks and Hornets. Races are held Friday night with the doors opening at 5:30pm and the races starting at 7:00pm.

2. Princeton Speedway in Princeton, MN

Located on the Mille Lacs County Fair Grounds, Princeton Speedway is a fast 1/4 mile Dirt Track. Races are held on Friday nights with the doors opening at 5:00pm and the races starting at 7:00pm. The classes running include, but are not limited to, UMSS Winged sprints, UMSS Traditional Sprints, UMSS Micro Sprints, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Compacts, and Super Stocks.

3. Elko Speedway in Elko, MN

Featuring Super Late Models, Big 8 Cars, Thunder Cars, Power Stocks, Hornets, Legends, and Bandoleros, the Elko Speedway is the "Midwest Center For Speed" and located 10 minutes south of Burnsville off I-35. This track is a high-banked, 3/8 mile, paved oval allowing for 2 and sometimes 3 wide racing. The races are held on Saturday nights with the doors opening at 5:00pm and races starting at 6:00pm.

4. Grove Creek Raceway in Grove City, MN

The Grove Creek Raceway is an NHRA Division 5 Member Track. It is the only 1/8 mile track in the upper mid-west to offer both "True" Night and Day Drag Racing Action from April to October. Racing here varies in street drags in cars, trucks, and motorcycles, along with ET Bracket racing that depends on time. These races are throughout the weekend with morning races with the gates opening at 8:00pm and races at night beginning at 7:00pm.

5. Hibbing Raceway in Hibbing, MN

Hibbing Raceway puts together another season full of regular WISSOTA racing, featuring all five Hibbing Raceway classes (Hibbing Pure Stocks, WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks, Modifieds and Late Models). This semi-banked clay track track racing track is 3/8 mile and in the heart of Northeastern Minnesota's Iron Range. The races are held on Saturday nights with the gates opening at 4:30pm and the racing starts at 6:00pm.

6. Viking Speedway in Alexandria, MN

Viking Speedway is located on the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Races are held on Saturday nights with the gates opening at 5:00pm and the races starting at 6:45pm. According to their website, Viking Speedway is a 1/2 mile semi-banked clay oval that races five Wissota sanctioned classes: Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Midwest Modifieds and Street Stocks, PLUS a sixth class of unsanctioned Pure Stocks every Saturday night from the beginning of May through Labor Day, with an extra added event the Viking Fall Classic in October.

7. Wagamon's Ogilvie Raceway in Ogilvie, MN

Ogilvie Raceway is a high-banked 3/8 mile oval dirt track, conveniently located on Highway 23 near Ogilvie, Minnesota. The track was constructed in 2008 and has changed ownership to the Wagamon family. Races are held Saturday nights with the gates opening at 4:00pm and the races starts at 6:30pm. The classes include Modifieds, Midwest Modifieds, Super Stocks, Street Stocks, Mod 4's, and Hornets.

8. Chateau Speedway in Lansing, MN

The 1/3 mile, semi-banked dirt track in Lansing is north out of Austin. Races are held Friday nights with the grandstands opening at 5:30pm and the hot laps beginning at 6:30pm with the races to follow. The classes include USRA Modifieds, Stock Cars WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds, USRA B Modified, WISSOTA Street Stocks, Chateau Pure Stocks and Hornets.

9. Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, MN

The Fairmont Raceway is a 1/2 mile, high banked dirt oval track located on the Martin County Fairgrounds west of Fairmont. The classes feature Modifieds, Stock Cars, Sportmods, Hobby Stocks, Sport Compacts. Races are every Friday night at 7:00pm. There are many different events each race, such as Frost Buster, Kids Night, and Summer Spectacular Hunt Race.

10. Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN

Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) features bracket drag racing and muscle car drag racing. Throughout the summer they hold big events that last all weekend such as Lucas Oil Internationals, Street Care Showdown, Pleasureland RV Show & Go, and Muscle Car Shootout. The raceway is a mile-long straightaway with doubles as a drag strip. BIR is now a favorite stop since it also has on-site camping -- The Zoo.

You will know where to find me this summer, cruising across Minnesota to reach all of the raceway tracks on my bucket list. No race nor summer is the same, so make the best of them all.